DEAR READERS: Since the summer of 2018 I’ve been sharing this column with you.

There’ve been times you’ve strongly disagreed with my responses, as well as days when you’ve caught typos and other inadvertent errors ‒ both human and technical ‒ that made it through to this page. You’ve certainly kept me on my toes.

It’s been gratifying to have your honest and often entertaining advice added to the discussions. I’ve enjoyed learning about the unique viewpoints you brought to the conversations.

While I haven’t read all your comments, I’ve read many of them. It’s been gratifying to see conversations started between you and fellow readers ‒ especially when they stay civil.

Much has changed in my world since Ask Someone Else’s Mom was introduced into the Uexpress line-up, which I’ve been honored to be a part of.

It’s been a good run, but I’ve decided it’s time to shift my focus to other pursuits.

Many thanks to Shena Wolf, who brought me into the Uexpress line-up. She gave me a wonderful opportunity, for which I will always be grateful.

Thank you to my editors and tech support people who have kept me going and on track.

To my readers, commenters, and everyone who sent me their questions throughout the years, I likewise say a big, heartfelt thank you. You’ve taught me an awful lot about how many ways there are to tackle a personal problem.

I wish you and those you hold dear all the best.

Please be safe, be well, and keep reading, writing to, and commenting on your favorite advice columnists. We’re in business because of you.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: This week has been rather interesting for me. I work in a medium-sized hotel and get along with everyone very well.

I recently made a bet with a friend on March Madness basketball because both my team and my friend’s team were playing one another in the tournament. The loser of the bet had to enter a bikini contest at a local bar, which is something neither of us would normally do but we both felt our teams would win and we had a few beers before making the bet, plus a lot of other friends encouraged our bad behavior in the moment.

Well my team lost, so I had to do the bikini contest. As part of the bet my friend got to choose my bikini and she chose a cheetah print thong bikini to my horror. In my best effort to make light of the situation I entered the contest.

After the contest, in which I placed third, I went back to the table some of my friends were at, but on the way back I came face-to-face with the entire upper management team at the hotel I work for! They were all laughing in a nice way and told me I looked great! Thankfully they are all women and they didn’t have any problem with the skimpiness of my bikini. But they have been teasing me ever since in a nice way.

Unfortunately for me though, word has spread around the hotel and some friends I work with tell me everyone at the hotel has been talking about me and calling me “The Cheetah” behind my back. Nobody thinks poorly of me or anything like that, but I can’t help but be a bit embarrassed by this whole thing and the attention I’m getting!

The bar posted pictures of the contest on Instagram and the one of me has gotten quite a few likes from some of my friends who work at the hotel, so I figure most people have seen the pictures.

Is this embarrassed feeling I have legitimate? Will it ever go away? Maybe I’m just taking everything too seriously as my friends tell me and it is not a big deal. I did have fun that night so maybe I’m just crazy, or maybe I need a new job? --- EXPOSED AT WORK

DEAR EXPOSED AT WORK: I can understand how the situation’s a bit awkward, but I don’t see any reason your decision to make good on your bet is anything to feel embarrassed about. Nor do I believe you need to hit the job market because of it.

From what you wrote it sounds as if your adventures in a bikini are being treated in a good spirit by most of your coworkers and the management team.

As for the people who are calling you “The Cheetah” behind your back, unless you have reason to believe their intent is malicious, there’s a good chance that they’re just playing into your new-found fame. And, as with most fame it’ll probably be fleeting and your coworkers will soon enough move onto something else they find amusing.

Hopefully, for you it’ll eventually become a fun and funny memory ‒ and a good reminder to perhaps make more careful wagers in the future.

DEAR SOMEONE ELSE’S MOM: A couple my husband and I are friends with since forever recently divorced. It was a sad enough situation, but now things have turned nasty with a custody war starting up over their two kids.

My husband and his partner have a small general law practice, which means they can and sometimes do handle family law cases. Our divorcing friends know that and both have tried to tap him to represent them, which I think is a really bad idea. Honestly, even if he refers one of them to his partner and the other to someone else he thinks will do right by them, I don’t see how this ends well because someone is going to feel like he steered them wrong if things fail to go their way.

We are both trying to be neutral in the divorce since we are good friends with both the husband and wife. Besides that, our kids and their kids are also good friends, and the whole thing is just complicated enough without my husband getting involved professionally. Don’t you agree?

My husband and I both know that his turning both of them down will cause some hard feelings. I know they trust and respect my husband, but there’s no way this ends well if he or even his partner takes on one of the spouses. --- NEEDS TO STAY OUT OF IT

DEAR NEEDS TO STAY OUT OF IT: I absolutely agree with you that your husband’s taking on either of your friends as a client in their custody battle would be a bad idea. I see how his giving specific referrals could also result in problems.

Perhaps his best bet is to sit down with both halves of the divorcing couple and explain his point-of-view and his need to stay uninvolved in their current legal actions.

Hopefully your friends will understand, if not now, then eventually when everything they’re dealing with is settled.